Perfumed products are well-known in the art. However, consumer acceptance of such perfumed products like laundry and cleaning products is determined not only by the performance achieved with these products but also by the aesthetics associated therewith. The perfume components are therefore an important aspect of the successful formulation of such commercial products.
It is also desired by consumers for treated surfaces like fabrics to maintain the pleasing fragrance over time. Indeed, perfume additives make such compositions more aesthetically pleasing to the consumer, and in some cases the perfume imparts a pleasant fragrance to surfaces, like fabrics, treated therewith. However, the amount of perfume carried-over from an aqueous laundry or cleaning bath onto fabrics is often marginal and does not last long on the surface. Furthermore, fragrance materials are often very costly and their inefficient use in laundry and cleaning compositions and ineffective delivery to surfaces like fabrics results in a very high cost to both consumers and laundry and cleaning manufacturers. Industry, therefore, continues to seek with urgency for more efficient and effective fragrance delivery in laundry and cleaning products, especially for improvement in the provision of long-lasting fragrance to the surfaces like fabrics. Further, after drying fabrics under the sun, fabrics obtain a “sun-dried type” of odor. Consumers often prefer this to a standard perfume odor. Also they often consider fabrics with these odors to be cleaner. Because consumers like the odor, they like to dry fabrics under the sun. In some countries, however, consumer cannot dry their fabrics outside because the air is not clean, or there is too much rain. As a result, they have to dry their fabrics indoors and cannot expect to enjoy this benefit of having a “sun-dried type” of odor on their fabrics.
Recently, a new class of materials, namely the amine reaction product of a compound containing a primary amine functional group and an active ketone or aldehyde containing component, have found increasing use in the domestic treatment of fabrics in order to provide long lasting perfume release on the laundered fabric. Disclosure of such compounds can be found in recently filed applications EP 98870227.0, EP 98870226.2, EP 99870026.4, and EP 99870025.6, all incorporated herein by reference.
Still, the above citations are limited to deposit only one or two type of perfume ingredients on the treated surfaces, whereas there is a need for a deposition of a more complete perfume formulation so that the various “aspects” of a perfume scent are represented, thereby increasing the consumer's acceptance.
Further, there is also a need for a process for making such composition that is economical and simple.
It has now been found that a laundry and/or cleaning composition which incorporates a benefit agent like a perfume composition with a carrier, wherein the carried composition has a viscosity of at least 400 cps, preferably 1.500 cps, more preferably 10.000 at 20° C. fulfills such a need.
Perfume which is combined with polymeric component is known in the art. Hence, JP-56075159 discloses the combination of methacrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene tertiary polymer with a liquid perfume so as to yield a semi-solid visco-elastic material for use in the adhesive industry. GB2141726 discloses perfumes which are mixed with adhesives glues for use in the adhesive industry to mask the odor of the adhesive. Finally, DE 3247709 discloses perfumed adhesive cardboard for paper package by using a polymer with a viscosity of 800 to 2500 mPa·s.
Perfume which is combined with solid carrier in laundry composition is also known in the art. Hence, WO 97/34982 uses zeolites particles as solid carrier, WO 94/19449 uses starch, whilst WO 98/28398 uses organic polymers.
Surprisingly, it has been found that when the combination of a benefit agent (e.g. perfume) with a carrier (e.g. polymer) is incorporated in a laundry and/or cleaning and/or fabric care product, the perfume composition is sufficiently protected from the wash oxidative solution and effectively deposited on the fabric whilst still providing efficient release of the perfume on the fabric, in particular dry fabric.